The Joy of Sicilian Wines
Winemaking is nothing new
to Sicily, but over the last twenty years the island has become famous for
some of its distinctive wines, especially its varietals - appellation itself
means little in Sicily. Oenicultural journalese, with its hyperbole and
metaphor, may be an arcane language. However you describe Sicily's wines,
you're certain to consider them slightly out of the ordinary. Like everything
else about Sicilian cuisine, there's a richness and purity to them, nothing
at all compromised or diluted by the vagaries of marketing. White or red,
here in Sicily wine is wine!
It's hardly an idle boast to state that in Sicily viticulture and winemaking
are arts - yes, arts - spanning at least two millennia, and perhaps a bit
more. We are on firm ground in saying that the ancient Greeks cultivated
grapes in Sicily, and so did the early Phoenician and Carthaginian communities.
All of this circa 800 BC. Earlier, the Sicanians, Sikels and Ausonians may
also have grown grapes, though what kind of wine they made is anybody's
guess.
Time was when Sicily's was best known internationally for her dessert
wines - Marsala, Passito, Malvasia and such. Today, however, there is much
more. Not that the varieties have changed, for Zibbibo, Cataratto and Nero
d'Avola are still with us. But now they are made and sold under their own
names instead of somebody else's.
Literally. Until some years ago Sicily's grapes, matured and harvested
in what is one of Europe's sunniest regions, were the source of must and
wine added to weaker northern Italian and French wines to "fortify"
them. It's a secret that certain Italians and French are reluctant to reveal,
but we Sicilians have always known it.
It would be inappropriate, perhaps invidious, for us to say more than
a few words about which Sicilian wines are the best, not least because they
vary by vintage. The most we can do is offer a few generalities, perhaps
noting a few houses (we don't use the grandiose word chateau in Italy) whose
wines stand out from year to year. Given Sicily's predictable weather, stable
climate and production methods, it's hardly surprising that there might
be a degree of consistency from one vintage to the next.
As we stated, appellation (region or "denomination of origin")
means little in Sicily. That said, the island's traditional viticultural
region is in the west, among rolling hills rather than rugged mountains
- Sicily's geography is remarkably diverse even though some great wines
are produced in other areas, such as the foothills of Mount Etna, where
the volcanic soil enhances the flavor of certain wines.
A single page is scarcely sufficient to introduce Sicilian wines; we
recommend Best of Sicily's Sicilian wine page, with its links to all kinds
of articles on the subject, as a better point of reference. Allow us to
make a few points here.
The Zibbibo grape, a cousin of Muscat, is the mainstay among Sicilian
whites, along with Grillo, Grecanico, Cataratto and Insolia. It is worth
noting that many of Sicily's better white wines come from its Wine Country
in the western region.
Nerello and Perricone are popular reds, though in recent years the more
potent Nero d'Avola has supplanted both. It is remotely similar to Syrah,
to which it is sometimes compared, but far heartier. Planeta, Milazzo and
Regaleali regularly produce some of Sicily's best Nero d'Avola wines. The
grape itself has been cultivated for centuries in south-eastern Sicily,
little appreciated until now.
Finding Sicilian wines in Sicily's shops is easy enough, and there's
no dearth of Sicilian wines in the restaurants. Farther afield, it helps
to know what you like. Here experimentation is key.
Planeta: This family-run winery is
known for its modern approach to winemaking - things like harvesting red
grapes at night and loading them into cooled steel vats to prevent premature
fermentation.
Milazzo: Known for its traditional
approach to winemaking, Milazzo produces exceptional wines. Its reds are
particularly good, with the Nero d' Avola regarded as one of Sicily's best.
Regaleali: The late Count Giuseppe
Tasca of Almerita was the "father" of Sicily's wine renaissance.
Regaleali led the market of Sicilian quality wines for many years. It's
still a powerful force, offering exceptional wines at an exceptional value.
Corvo: Maker of some of Sicily's better white wines.
